Editing The Salvation Army (section)

==Organisational structure==
{{See also|International Headquarters of The Salvation Army}}[[File:salvation.army.hq.london.arp.jpg|thumb|The Salvation Army International Headquarters in London|268x268px]]
The Salvation Army operates in 133 countries.<ref name="128 countries"/> The [[General of The Salvation Army|General]] is the head of the Salvation Army. The organisation divides itself geographically into five zones: Americas and Caribbean, Europe, South Asia, South Pacific and East Asia, and Africa.<ref>{{cite book | isbn=978-1-911149-40-8 | access-date=11 April 2018 | title=World map by zone, 2018 year book | year=2017 | publisher=Salvation Books, The Salvation Army International Headquarters | url=https://www.salvationarmy.org/worldmap }}</ref> The "zonal departments" at International Headquarters<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.salvationarmy.org | title=international headquarters | access-date=9 March 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309143303/https://www.salvationarmy.org/ | archive-date=9 March 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> in London, United Kingdom, are the head of global territories and commands.<ref>{{cite book | isbn=978-1-911149-40-8 | title=the salvation army year book 2018 | year=2017 | page=43 | publisher=Salvation Books, The Salvation Army International Headquarters }}</ref>

Each territory is further divided into territories, which are then sub-divided into divisions. Some territories cover several countries (like Italy and Greece)<ref name="auto">{{cite book | isbn=978-1-911149-40-8 | title=The Salvation Army Year Book 2018| year=2017| publisher=Salvation Books, The Salvation Army International Headquarters}}</ref> while some countries may have several territories (e.g. ''Australia Eastern'' and ''Australia Southern'')<ref name="auto"/> In larger areas, regional and area commands exist as subdivisions of divisions. Each territory has an administrative hub known as territorial headquarters (THQ). Each division has a divisional headquarters (DHQ). Each of these territories is led by a territorial commander who receives orders from the Salvation Army's international headquarters in London.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

===High Councils===
{{Main|High Council of The Salvation Army}}
Much of what happens at the High Council is governed by British Law, as set out in the Salvation Army Acts ([[Salvation Army Act 1931|1931]], [[Salvation Army Act 1963|1963]], 1968, [[Salvation Army Act 1980|1980]]). The 2013 High Council consisted of 118 members (62 women and 56 men) made up of the Chief of Staff, all the active commissioners and territorial leaders (some territories are led by colonels), each of whom was summoned by the Chief of the Staff for the sole purpose of electing a new General.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inf260713|title=The Salvation Army International – What is the High Council?|website=www.salvationarmy.org|language=en|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426011910/http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/news/inf260713|archive-date=26 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Heritage Centres ===
Heritage Centres are museums run by the Salvation Army which have exhibits and historical documents related to the history and work of the organisation. Heritage Centres collect, preserve, catalogue, research, and share material about the life and work of The Salvation Army. The International Heritage Centre in London can provide details of premises in any specific territory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk|title=The Salvation Army|date=23 February 2016|website=The Salvation Army|access-date=25 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325070247/https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/|archive-date=25 March 2018|url-status=live}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/international-heritage-centre|title=International Heritage Centre|website=Salvation Army|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713074751/https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/international-heritage-centre|archive-date=13 July 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> It also manages the Salvation Army's archival [[Twitter]] feed.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

=== Relevant legislation ===
Various Constituting Instruments apply to different aspects of the work of the Salvation Army. Legislation passed in the United Kingdom Parliament covered the following:
* The [[Salvation Army Act 1931]] contained several provisions,{{r|Salvationists|p=26}} firstly that the High Council be convened to elect a new General when the role became vacant, and reorganised custody of property held in charitable trust<ref>{{cite web | title=Salvation Army Act 1931 | url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/acts/salvation-army-act-1931 | publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office | access-date=13 March 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222021729/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/acts/salvation-army-act-1931 | archive-date=22 December 2012 | work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] | url-status=live }}</ref> by the foundation of the Salvation Army Trustee Company being formed to hold all property previously vested in the general. Section 4 relates to a serving General giving notice of their intention to retire.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Weapons of Goodwill|last=Coutts|first=Frederick|year=1986|isbn=0-340-39086-7|location=United Kingdom|pages=67}}</ref>
* The [[Salvation Army Act 1963]]<ref>{{cite web| url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/acts/salvation-army-act-1963| title=Salvation Army Act 1963| publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office| access-date=13 March 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206150026/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/acts/salvation-army-act-1963| archive-date=6 December 2015| work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]| url-status=live}}</ref> established a non-contributory pension fund for Officers of the Salvation Army.
* The Salvation Army Act 1968 relates to management of Salvation Army trusts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Salvation Army Act 1968|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/acts/salvation-army-act-1968|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222021729/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/acts/salvation-army-act-1968|archive-date=22 December 2012|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[Salvation Army Act 1980]] revised and consolidated the constitution of the Salvation Army to continue its work.<ref>{{cite web|title=Salvation Army Act 1980|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/acts/salvation-army-act-1980|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121222021730/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/acts/salvation-army-act-1980|archive-date=22 December 2012|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|url-status=live}}</ref>
** Schedule 1 covered the Religious Doctrines of the Army
** Schedule 2 related to Common Investment Schemes and the establishment of a Central Finance Council
** Part V covered the Election of the General

=== Membership ===
[[File:Salvation army world map.PNG|thumb|left|The worldwide expansion of Salvation army|303x303px]]Statistics for membership<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/statistics | title=statistics | access-date=13 March 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314174058/https://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/statistics | archive-date=14 March 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> from the 2018 year book,<ref>{{cite book | isbn=978-1-911149-40-8 | publisher=Salvation Books | title=The Salvation Army Year Book 2018 | year=2017 }}</ref> are: 111,859 employees, 17,168 Active Officers, 9,775 Retired Officers, 1,050 Cadets, 175,811 Adherents, 411,327 [[Junior Soldier]]s and 1,182,100 Senior Soldiers. Previous membership statistics (as quoted from 2010 year book) include 16,938 active and 9,190 retired officers, 39,071 Corps Cadets and more than 4.5 million volunteers. Members of the Salvation Army also include "adherents"; these are people who do not make the commitment to be a soldier but who recognise the Salvation Army as their church. (According to the 2006 Salvation Army year book, in the United States there are 85,148 senior soldiers and 28,377 junior soldiers, 17,396 adherents and around 60,000 employees.)

=== Leadership ===
General [[Lyndon Buckingham]] has been the world leader of the Salvation Army since 3 August 2023.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

[[File:Salvation Army Monument, Kensico Cemetery, 2011.JPG|thumb|The monument to the Salvation Army in [[Kensico Cemetery]]|278x278px]]

=== International Congress of the Salvation Army ===
The International Congress of the Salvation Army is normally held every ten years<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F02E6DB1F39E633A25752C3A9639C946596D6CF |title=40,000 Salvation Army Delegates To Meet In London|date=1914-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611143445/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F02E6DB1F39E633A25752C3A9639C946596D6CF |archive-date=11 June 2016|work=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> as a conference for all Salvationists from around the world to meet. The first such conference took place in London, U.K., from 28 May to 4 June 1886, and subsequent Congressional meetings were held sporadically until 1904 and then 1990.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq%5Cwww_sa.nsf/vw-search/B3A5335DE083697E802573C400544826?opendocument|title=Important Events in Salvation Army History|access-date=23 December 2009|archive-date=28 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928012842/http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq%5Cwww_sa.nsf/vw-search/B3A5335DE083697E802573C400544826?opendocument|url-status=dead}}</ref> The seventh International Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, from 28 June to 2 July 2000, was the first held outside of the U.K.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.salvationist.org/intnews.nsf/vw_web_articles/C2E7ED6C471A481880256C00003160AE?opendocument |title=Salvation Army News: International News |publisher=Salvationist.org |access-date=11 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314012410/http://www.salvationist.org/intnews.nsf/vw_web_articles/C2E7ED6C471A481880256C00003160AE?opendocument |archive-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> The latest International Congress was held in London on 1–5 July 2015, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Salvation Army's founding.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

=== Presence in Russia ===
In Russia the Army was founded around 1917{{r|Salvationists|p=99}} and it struggled until 1922 at which point the situation had become extremely challenging.{{r|Salvationists|p=100}} A Moscow court ruled that the Salvation Army was a paramilitary organisation subject to expulsion. In October 2006, the [[European Court of Human Rights]] ruled the decision illegal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0610a.html|title=Russia's refusal to register Salvation Army is illegal, court rules|publisher=[[International Herald-Tribune]]|date=5 October 2006|access-date=20 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701092448/http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0610a.html|archive-date=1 July 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Salvation Army International website<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.salvationarmy.org/ |title=Salvation Army International |publisher=Salvation Army International |access-date=13 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309143303/https://www.salvationarmy.org/ |archive-date=9 March 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> lists the Russian Federation as part of the Territory of Eastern Europe.<ref>{{cite web|title=Salvation Army Eastern Europe Territory|url=http://web.salvationarmy.org/eet/www_eetr.nsf|publisher=Salvation Army Eastern Europe Territory|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312042343/http://web.salvationarmy.org/eet/www_eetr.nsf|archive-date=12 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Presence in China ===
William Booth's dying wish for the Salvation Army to be established in China<ref>{{cite sign |title=Reaching out to the East |type=Interpretation board | location=International Heritage Centre run by the Salvation Army, William Booth College, London, England |publisher=Salvation Army}}</ref> was taken up in a pledge made in 1912 by [[Bramwell Booth]] to his father.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Weapons of Goodwill|last=Coutts|first=Frederick|publisher=The Salvation Army|year=1986|isbn=0-340-39086-7|pages=59}}</ref> In 1915 the first officers were sent, and during the 1931 famine fed 100,000 people daily. Following political difficulties by 1952 the Army withdrew from the country but work still continues in Macau and Hong Kong, and in Taiwan.{{cn|date=October 2024}}